One of the keys to effective parenting is keeping the child care experience as consistent as possible. While sharing the role of caring for your children with your Au Pair is a huge benefit, sometimes it can be frustrating due to a lack of communication. A great way to keep the communication channels open, and the level of care consistent, is to request that your Au Pair keep a log of daily activities, schedules, little notes and reminders.
Keeping a log of your children's activities provides you and your Au Pair with an updated list of what has been completed (ie: what time they ate, if they have been bathed yet, when the baby had their last diaper change, etc.) and what still needs to be done. The log can be as detailed as what has been happening hourly or a summary of activities before you or your Au Pair switched caring responsibilities. I recommend using a three subject notebook with the following sections: Daily Log, Daily Summary and Daily Notes.
With a busy schedule, you and your Au Pair may not be able to remember, let alone share, every aspect of the day, but being able to look back in your log will help to make sure that everyone is on the same page... pun intended.
About the author:
Janine Kates is proud to be a
Go Au Pair Local Area Representative in South Central New Jersey. With over 10 years of experience as a professional nanny, Janine has taken an interest in ways to improve the relationship between the family and the child care provider. She is an active blogger on
goaupairsouthcentralnj.wordpress.com and enoys blogging about childcare, recipes, crafts, Au Pair/ Host Family information and helpful tips.
Posted:
6/25/2012 3:13:36 PM by
Carol Lima